Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) released the following statement in response to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell:
“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is reinforcing the Republican political agenda to disrupt governmental functions when the circumstances do not line up with their philosophy. It is imperative that we have nine members of the United States Supreme Court deciding constitutional issues that are important to the American people. It is absurd to suggest that President Obama should be denied the opportunity to nominate a qualified jurist to replace Justice Scalia on the Supreme Court. The American people should clearly understand that Senate Republicans have a political agenda to pack the Court with conservative justices who would reverse years of progressive jurisprudence.
“The Congressional Black Caucus urges President Obama to expeditiously nominate a replacement for Justice Scalia who has the scholarship, values and temperament to sit on the highest court of our country and decide cases based on established law rather than a political agenda. We will vigorously confront Senate Republicans at every turn should they dismiss President Obama’s nomination.”
